A little bit of heaven on a spoon
When I was a little girl, not long after WWII (Eeeek!), food was not plentiful. It was rationed and you had to use coupons to buy it. Once the coupons for a particular food were used up, you could buy no more of that food until the next book was issued. There was a ‘Black Market’ and some people would get hold of food without coupons – for a price.
A vivid memory for me was going round to a friends house with one of my sisters. Her mother was never in and unlike us, who always had our mum home, the kids did their own thing all day, and possibly into the night. The first thing she would do was raid the food cupboard. I have no way of knowing if it was black market food or gifts from American GI’s but she always had food in her cupboards. On this particular day she lifted out a large jar. She unscrewed the lid, and we watched in amazement as she scooped out the contents with large tablespoons. She handed each of us a heaped spoon of this orangy brown delight. We had never tasted anything like it before. It was like a spoonful of heaven to us.
As there were seven of us kids we never had any luxury items. Mum would have to swap those coupons with people who didn’t need so many basic foods. The swapping of ration coupons went on a lot. Because of this, us younger kids had never tasted foods that were not deemed to be essential. They were tough times but what we had never had we didn’t miss.
It’s nearly sixty years since I first tasted that little bit of heaven, known as Peanut Butter, but you will always find a jar of it in our cupboard.
How do I eat it? On a spoon of course!
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Jaffer
| 29 October 2009 at 19:21
I remember the first time I tasted peanut butter when I was a teen. Until then, I’d only heard of it in ‘cartoons’ ! I don’t think I’d ever forget my first peanut-butter and jam on toast !
The same goes for Mayonnaise and Mustard – and later came the burgers, chicken nuggets and other ‘American’ Food.
My mom and Dad were careful in trying out ‘foreign’ foods – but it was me and my brother (as kids) who open them up into trying out different things.
Sometimes my Mom and I get into arguments about foods I eat when I visit !
ann
| 29 October 2009 at 19:49
ah yes I recognized it right away. I love peanut butter, can’t remember ever NOT having it in the house.
ann´s last blog ..Your fright for the night
Junk Drawer Kathy
| 29 October 2009 at 20:29
Your story reminds me of the stories my parents would tell us kids. They were children in the late 1920’s, early 30s, “Depression Babies” they’d call themselves. Special foods did not come easy and they always appreciated when they got something out of the ordinary. Your friend sounds like she had a magic cupboard!
I was just craving peanut butter on saltines yesterday. I thought we had some PB in the house, but alas, we did not. But I wasn’t feeling well enough to go to the store for it. Maybe tomorrow! Yummo!
Junk Drawer Kathy´s last blog ..Halloween Came Early
beetle
| 29 October 2009 at 20:52
Jaffer: I don’t think I could bare to eat peanut butter and jam together! I know it’s how they eat it in the US though. American food must seem quite different to your parents.
Ann: Most younger people have always had plenty of luxury foods in the house. It’s wars and depressions that cause us to go back to basics
Kathy: I imagine it was very similar to the ‘Depression’ days. The luxuries always go first. My friend (soon to be taken in by my parents) may have had a magic cupboard but I wouldn’t have swapped lives with her. Give me loving parents over magic cupboards any day.
I hope you feel on top form soon
LadyBanana
| 29 October 2009 at 21:43
I think my parents thought they were still in the war as I grew up because luxury/non essential goods were not part of our diet ever!
The first time I think I had peanut butter was as an adult!
LadyBanana´s last blog ..End Of The Poll
JD at I Do Things
| 29 October 2009 at 22:23
My mom always talks about buying “oleo” (a cheap margarine substitute) that came with an orange powder you mixed into it, because the oleo was an unappealing white color. Seems to me that fake orange would be even more unappealing.
I could not live in a world without peanut butter. And I agree: by the spoon is the best delivery method (second only to toast).
JD at I Do Things´s last blog ..My Mom Shakes It so you don’t have to
Comedy Plus
| 29 October 2009 at 22:42
My hubby eats peanut butter like this too. He can eat a whole jar in one sitting, but that’s a different story.
What a great post about you and your childhood.
Have a terrific day Babs. Big hug.
Comedy Plus´s last blog ..A Halloween Tale
Jason
| 30 October 2009 at 2:53
I love the site. You have a lot of good posts here. I have a site as well that provides inspiration and guidance to people around the world. I was wondering if we could do a link exchange, so we can tell our visitors about both of our sites. Let me know.
Jason
TheWISDOMWALL.com
Ann, Maggy, Zoey (Zoolatry)
| 30 October 2009 at 11:21
We never remember jokes; yet have never forgotten the childrens joke about ‘how to get peanut butter off the roof of your mouth’…
On a banana, it’s heaven. Filling up a celery stalk, more heaven.
Fun to read the memories; have a box handed down to me and it includes “coupon ration books” my grandfather had in the early 1900s. Some coupons torn out & used; some remain.
Ann, Maggy, Zoey (Zoolatry)´s last blog ..BOO BOO BOOLATRY
Ruth
| 30 October 2009 at 11:35
I’m so interested in your story. Many people I’ve met in other countries think peanut butter is disgusting. Maybe you have to get it as a child to love it?
Yes, there is nothing like a big rounded tablespoon of it for pure comfort, and heaven.
Ruth´s last blog ..lost-and-found trick-or-treater
BK
| 30 October 2009 at 13:13
I thought you eat it with your mouth?
Those were truly hard times for a lot of people around the world.
BK´s last blog ..Blaming Others for the Mistakes
Jay
| 31 October 2009 at 15:22
I was born just post-rationing. I don’t remember it, but our childhood foods were pretty basic, non-the-less. Ice cream was a rare luxury, sweet biscuits were Christmas treats and extremely rare the rest of the year, as was ‘pop’. Cakes were all home made, and desserts were apple pie or steamed sponges mostly. I remember my first taste of yogurt and still crave that original type; set solid and so tart that we used to mix a little sugar in it.
My mother was lucky during the years of rationing, because my grandmother kept a corner shop. Many people didn’t use their rations for one reason or another, or would swop one for another, so she always had ’spare’ food. Mum didn’t go short.
beetle
| 31 October 2009 at 15:22
LadyBanana: I have to admit to being an adult before we ever had it in our home too
JD: Oh my! They had egg powder when I was very tiny, but I never heard of ‘Oleo’. It sounds very unappealing!
Oh yes! Peanut butter on hot toast Yummie
Sandee: It’s rather filling for me, so only manage a few teaspoons at a time
Jason: Thank you
Zoolatry: Well hello there! How are you doing? I haven’t seen a ration book since I was a little child. I bet it’s interesting looking through the box
Ruth: I always used to eat roasted peanuts. Eating peanut butter just means you don’t have to waste time chewing
BK: Oh yes, I think my mouth comes in there somewhere
beetle
| 31 October 2009 at 15:52
Jay: I must admit, as time went by, mum used to bake all her own cakes and ‘puddings’ so we never went short of a chunk of ’spotted dick’, ‘apple pie’, ‘rhubarb crumble’ or some such sweet delight.
I tried everywhere to get hold of some (made by Edenvale) but sadly the sloppy fruit yogurts took over fast. I did make my own for a while. Nice and tart but not solid enough.
Oh how I loved the original yogurt! I used to cut shapes in it with my spoon
Surfie
| 3 November 2009 at 3:52
I feel so spoiled. I don’t remember ever NOT having peanut butter around the house. I actually have three different kinds in my cabinets right now. Generic, store brand creamy peanut butter, Dark Chocolate Dreams by Peanut Butter & Co., and Naturally More Peanut Butter (with flax).
Surfie´s last blog ..They Make It Look So Easy
beetle
| 3 November 2009 at 14:47
Surfie: I can guess from your comment that you are American, and younger than me
As far as I know we only have two types of peanut butter in the UK – Crunchy and smooth. Mostly it’s a kids food. I don’t know another adult that eats it aside from me 
Actually I think the American GI’s brought it over here during the war.
Maureen
| 3 November 2009 at 16:16
Yummy! My favorite Peanut Butter is Crunchy style Kraft (in the bear shaped jars for a while) melting on toast, topped off with thin banana slices… heaven!!!! Sometimes the jar lids would have scoring in them so you could wash them out and use them as piggy banks (or beary banks, I guess) when the PB was all gone.
Even better is Crunchy Peanut Butter on hot fresh Banana Bread!!! – oh crap, now I have to bake some when I get home
Maureen´s last blog ..The Scariest Part of Halloween
Croom
| 4 November 2009 at 0:55
I remember that incident well too. I have also seen you enjoying your treat!! I love the crunchy version any which way :O)
beetle
| 4 November 2009 at 2:08
Maureen: I must admit that Americans do appear to really love it. I don’t know anyone else that eats it here in the UK. I think I tasted a little bit of America back then, and was hooked
Croom (Tina) Yes I do believe it was you who I went with for our first taste of peanut butter. I remember the spoons being almost too big for our mouths
Lynda Lehmann
| 9 November 2009 at 15:06
Great story, Babs. And sad. Not many of us have experienced rationing. I hope I and the people I love, never do. And to take it a step further, of course I wish there were no poverty in the world.
Do you LOVE peanut buttercups like Reese’s?
Lynda Lehmann´s last blog ..Inklings of the Sublime
beetle
| 9 November 2009 at 15:22
Lynda: Sorry, I didn’t mention (for those that don’t know) that I live in the UK, originally from London. I’m afraid I’ve never heard of peanut buttercups or Reese’s, though I love anything nutty, so I imagine I would